Satyrs and Kanes
by DanieXJ
Summary: David had saved two others with Orpheus  the woman with the 'B' bracelet aside , and during the X-mas season of 2011 both of the saved throw Pine Valley into quite a tail spin. Along with a few other visitors who don't bring with them quite as much drama.
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** Satyrs and Kanes

**Disclaimers:** I don't own any of these characters. I'm just playing David Hayward, I mean writergod, and playing with them a little.

**Warning: **This story starts pretty light heartedly, and for the most part that's what it is, but there are also some really, really not lighthearted parts, though I always try not to be uneededingly excessive. Just a warning for anyone expecting a fluff piece.

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><p><strong>About 3 Months Later<strong>

* * *

><p>"I thought it was over, that maybe this Christmas would be different. Would be calm. It's our first at the house." Bianca Montgomery glanced over at the man with her in the airport waiting area. "You're coming either for Christmas dinner, or just for a while on Christmas Eve?"<p>

The dark haired man stared straight ahead. "I'm not sure."

Bianca threaded a hand through the man's arm. "Well David, you will be welcome."

David finally looked over at Bianca, "Is Krystal still angry at me?"

"Nah, she's too busy being Super Grandmother for the kids, trying to overcompensate for the fact that my mother is chasing my Uncle Jack all over the world. Not to mention hovering over Marissa like the Mom she didn't get to be."

David took his arm away from Bianca, "Ah, damn, I'm late."

Bianca frowned, "David, this is Maggie, and, you're no longer a doctor, if you go to Marissa's check up there's nothing you can do for her."

David shook his head, "Marissa's my daughter, and I can make sure that Castillo isn't screwing up her treatment. Will you be okay here, alone?"

Bianca looked out the window at an approaching plane. "I've done much harder things in my life than signing for Maggie Stone's body and following it to the funeral home."

David put a hand on Bianca's shoulder. "I know Maggie would... she'd..."

Bianca sighed, "She'd tell you to go pester Griff about your daughter."

* * *

><p>A young woman watched as David Hayward left Bianca alone in Pine Valley Airport. She resisted the urge to go to her, and just watched as the brunette wrapped her arms around herself. It wasn't long before a man from the airline appeared and after a few words Bianca left with him.<p>

The young woman watched until Bianca was out of sight, then she too left. She had work to do.

* * *

><p>"David- what are you doing here?"<p>

Every time his daughter addressed him he had a little niggling of hope in the back of his head that she'd call him Dad. The rest of his brain, the part that had gotten him through school and made him a world renowned Cardio surgeon knew that that was never going to happen, in the deepest part of his brain, the part he tried to shut out, the part that had clawed its way to the surface when his father had killed himself, the part that had surfaced when his Leora had died, that part just wanted to hear Marissa call him Dad.

Instead of dwelling too much on the use of his first name David held his hand out. Griff didn't move. "David, you're no longer a doctor here, you're no longer a doctor at all."

"I'm her father. And I can read a chart. The chart."

Griff glanced towards Marissa, who shrugged. "He'll find some other way to get it, possibly illegally, then his probation will be revoked and I'll be visiting him in prison again. Show him the chart."

Griff handed the chart to David. "She's doing fine by the way."

David didn't speak, just studied his daughter's test results and exam findings. "Your BP..."

Marissa cut her father off, "Is well within acceptable limits. I haven't felt any symptoms of anything. The bullet only grazed my heart didn't split it in two, and Griff saved my life very well. Now, I need to pick up the kids and get home before Bianca does."

Marissa climbed off the exam table and poked David in the chest, "And why aren't you there with her?"

"But- you-" Marissa shot him a look, "Hell, you take on JR and suddenly you have more guts than Erica Kane." The look didn't let up, "She could have stopped me."

Marissa groaned, "Thank you Griff. Perhaps you can tell my father what he did wrong this time."

* * *

><p>A skinny middle aged looking man glanced around a nearly empty room before he dropped a box on the ground. The movers had delivered a chest, a desk, and a desk chair as well as bed, mattress and dresser for the bedroom. But he wasn't planning on staying too long. He did have more boxes to unpack, then he'd get started.<p>

* * *

><p>Marissa watched the kids scamper upstairs and turned as the front door opened and closed.<p>

Marissa met Bianca before she even had a chance to remove her parka and wrapped her arms around Bianca. Bianca laid her head against Marissa's shoulder as Marissa rubbed Bianca's back.

Somehow they made it to the couch and Bianca curled up, her head pillowed on Marissa's lap, coat still on, tears running down her face.

Marissa knew there was nothing she could say, so she made comforting noises and rubbed Bianca's back.

Bianca finally took a few deep breaths and looked up at Marissa, "I got you all wet and the sofa..."

Marissa picked up a bit of moisture on Bianca's coat, "Bianca, I'm always wet in your presence, so... I assume that it's snowing out there?"

Bianca gave Marissa a gentle shove and a half a smile as she sat up, "How do you do that?"

"Sound quite so dirty with so little effort? It's a gift."

"Can make me smile even when I'm at my lowest?"

Marissa opened and closed her mouth, "Bi- are you settling for me? Am I just enough?"

Bianca closed her eyes, "Day of the BBQ, you heard us, me and Kendall talking to my mother."

Marissa nodded, "Yeah, yes."

Bianca sat forward and gripped Marissa's hands in her own, "I put myself through JR hell for you and AJ. I was there every day after you foolishly got in the way for a bullet that probably should have hit me. You know me better than that, would I have been there, through all that if I didn't love you with all my heart and soul?"

"Well, actually, yes." Bianca started to respond with astonishment, but was cut off by a cheeky Marissa grin, "I love you too."

A cough came from the doorway as Jenny gave her mother her coat and was up the stairs just as fast as the rest of the kids of the Montgomery, Trasker household.

Krystal hung up their coats and turned to face her daughter and Bianca, "You know, now that you're better- we don't-"

Marissa cut her mother off, "You can stay as long as you want, or need, or you can look for somewhere else, but-" Marissa smiled, "I do love getting to know my sister."

"Sock, maybe a sock'd be a good idea."

Bianca stood, pulling Marissa up with her, "We should get started on dinner." Bianca walked over, hung up her coat and started towards the kitchen. She was waylaid by Krystal, who wrapped her arms around Bianca and hugged her just as hard as her daughter had.

After a moment the restaurant owner let go and took a step back, "I'm not your mother, but, if you need an ear other than my daughter's or your sister's, I'm here too."

Bianca nodded, "Thank you."

"Marissa and I, we'll make dinner. You, go hug your children."

* * *

><p>The Pine Valley airport was much quieter than it had been earlier in the day. A plane had just landed and was slowly disgorging its very tired looking passengers. The final one off was a tall woman with short dark hair, a very confident strut, and piercing eyes. She walked by the ticket counter and her eyes lingered on one specific doorway. She took a breath in and held it for a moment before she nodded to herself and raised her phone, dialing.<p>

"I'm in Pine Valley, I still do not understand why... " The woman closed her eyes since the man on the phone couldn't see her. "No, I'm not backing out. I gave you my word that I would save Chandler Enterprises and I will Mr. Chandler." She hung up and stared at her phone, "I just hope that I don't run into Erica or either of her daughters."

* * *

><p>"Bianca, do you have any idea where the colander is?"<p>

Bianca swallowed a laugh as she came up behind Marissa and wrapped her arms around the red head's waist. "I think I saw it-"

Marissa chuckled, "We've been saying that about everything the past couple of months haven't we. Side effect of moving I guess. You know, I love it when you do this."

Bianca kissed the side of Marissa's neck, "This?"

Marissa smiled, "That too. No, when you hold me, everything feels right with the world. I feel like- like singing or something." Marissa turned in Bianca's arms. "But I won't."

Bianca smiled, "AJ and the girls seem to like it."

Marissa made a face, "That doesn't count. So, ah-"

Bianca laughed, "Colander, right. Where did I see it-" She turned her head, though she didn't move from Marissa's embrace. "Oh- young neurons..."

Marissa buried her head in Bianca's shoulder, laughing as AJ came into the kitchen. He rolled his eyes and sighed, "You guys are always mushy, mushy, mushy-" He paused for a second, "So?"

Bianca smiled at AJ, "Your mom is looking for the colander."

AJ frowned for a second, "In the basement. Stack with the red box, but it's like the third one down." With that he left the kitchen.

"See, young neurons."

"Oh, because our neurons are so, so old." Marissa draped her arms around Bianca's neck, "You know, you're just as much his Mom these days as me, or Babe was."

"Oh no, nope, uh uh- I love AJ just like a son, but he gets to call me Bianca for the rest of his life if he wants."

Marissa smiled, "My big bad Bianca is afraid of JR 'Jail Bird' Chandler?"

Bianca kissed the tip of Marissa's nose and took a step back, "No one ever seems to remember that he pushed me off a balcony."

Marissa sighed as she and Bianca went down the basement steps. "I know. I know." Marissa sighed as they un-piled the boxes in the red box pile. "Uh, the reason I brought it up was that Gabby called me Mommy the other day and I didn't- I wasn't sure-"

Bianca pulled the colander out, put it on Marissa's head and kissed her, finally pulling away before the colander and everything else wound up on the floor of the basement.

Bianca chuckled, "I haven't heard a Hayward/Bennett wig out in such a long time-"

Marissa tilted her head to the side, "Excuse me?"

"Hayward, David, his mother's sister, Gwen Bennett, her daughters Maggie, and Frankie. It was Frankie I was thinking of. Once I called her my girlfriend, she quite freaked out..." Bianca trailed off, "God, they're both gone now." Bianca cleared her throat, "Sorry-"

"Hey." Marissa hugged Bianca for a moment, "I have a colander on my head, no morose thoughts okay. We'll let all of them call us whatever they want to. Mom, Bianca, Marissa. You stop being sad, and I'll stop freaking out. Sound good?" Bianca nodded.

Marissa tipped her colander and that got a laugh from Bianca. "I love you."

Marissa blinked, "I love you too. Bianca."

Bianca cut Marissa off before she could continue, "There's no particular reason why I said it. I just did, don't look at me like I have five heads or something. C'mon. We'd better feed our little monsters or there might be a mutiny."


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N**: I apologize, I can't seem to write any female characters at the moment (who aren't related to her or dating her daughter) who don't flirt with Krystal slightly. I'm not sure why, and I've tried my best to tone it down, but... I've only been some successful... Anyway, onwards to Chapter Two. Sorry for the delay as well, life is crazy.

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><p>The young woman from the airport glanced towards the rising sun. It was a brilliant, cloudless sky, unfortunately because it was winter, all the sun in the world wouldn't heat up the day too much. She ducked away from the camera's eye as she went through the Police Station's back door. She wound her way this way and that until she got to an out of the way computer. She glanced around, then sat down. She typed in a username and password and chuckled to herself, "PVPD, you should better secure your system." She pursed her lips, "Now, where are you, or who are you?"<p>

* * *

><p>"You don't have to go in. The Miranda Center can do without you for a day Bianca. You know that."<p>

Bianca closed the final lunch bag. There were four of them sitting on the counter, each with a slightly different thing in them. Luckily it was only every once in a while that the wrong thing wound up in the wrong kid's bag. "I do need to go in, I just- I need to keep busy."

Marissa wrapped her arms around Bianca's waist and rested her chin on Bianca's shoulder. "Let yourself grieve."

Bianca looked over, "You're related to her, and you're going to work."

"I have a deposition."

Bianca took a step back and crossed her arms over her chest, "And I have an important meeting with two prospective donors. Not to mention a meeting with whomever the Chandler Enterprises board is putting in charge of... Chandler Enterprises. I'll probably have to re-convince them to give what they had already promised to the center." Marissa opened and closed her mouth but Bianca didn't let her speak, "I'm sorry." She put her hands on Marissa's arm, "I'm sorry."

Marissa pulled Bianca towards her, "I didn't know Maggie, you did, and you love her too. If you need me, just call me alright? No matter when it is, promise me."

"What about your deposition?"

"To hell with the deposition. You're what matters. Isn't that what we both believe. Family first."

"Family first." Bianca smiled and kissed Marissa. "I love you..."

"...but we have to drop off Gabby, Jenny, Miranda and AJ at their various schools. Are we ready for Christmas Vacation."

"Winter- and no."

"Winter schminter. I've hallucinated priests, so I can call it Christmas vacation."

Marissa chuckled. "So, rock, paper, scissors for delivery?"

Bianca put her arm around Marissa's wasit, "I think I need to take them. A little kid chaos will do me good."

"Or drive you totally batty."

Bianca smiled, "I think I'll risk it."

* * *

><p>The dark haired woman looked around the entrance to the Miranda Center. They'd upgraded here and there, but on the whole it was mostly as it had been before. She closed her eyes to the pain that blossomed in her chest at that thought, then shook her head and went in. She gave the receptionist a smile, "Lena Kundera for Bianca Montgomery."<p>

The receptionist nodded, "She's not in yet, but should be soon, if you could wait here."

Lena inclined her head, "Of course."

She turned to go to one of the mildly uncomfortable chairs and instead slammed into a very familiar looking form. "Maggie?"

The woman looked up and shook her head, "You must have me confused with someone else."

The woman tried to get by, but Lena caught her by the arm, "No, I may have been in Poland for awhile, but I did not lose my memory there. You're Maggie Stone."

The woman pulled her arm away with a bit too much force, "No, I'm not. I'm Frankie."

Lena's mouth dropped open. She quickly closed it and shook her head, "That's not amusing. Frankie Stone died in... in..."

"On November 28th, 2001. No, I didn't. Now, I need to..."

Lena caught her hand again and pulled her back again, "Just like that. I'm alive and haven't told anyone, good-bye?"

Frankie nodded, "Somethin' like that, yeah. I'm a bitch, who the hell are you anyway?"

Lena held out her hand, but Frankie ignored it, "Lena Kundera. Bianca and I, we're... old friends, old acquaintances. We knew each other... awhile ago."

That got Frankie's attention, "You won't tell her."

Lena frowned, "That you're alive. Why not?"

Frankie looked one way, then the other, "Why? You want to know... of course you want to know why, this is freakin' Pine Valley, no one ever just takes a person's word for it." Frankie blew out a breath, "I'm not... ready yet. Please, she's happy, let's keep her that way, alright? Friend implies caring. Don't tell her about me, please."

Lena heard Bianca's voice near the door and turned her head for a moment, when she turned it back Frankie Stone was gone, seemingly into thin air.

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><p>Frankie put a hand to her heart. For a second she didn't think she'd make it. She didn't plan on ever seeing Bianca while she was in Pine Valley. That was not the point of her journey here. Now, hopefully this, Lena Kundera, whoever she was, would keep her secret. She couldn't worry about it, she needed to get to the Pine Valley City Hall.<p>

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><p>"Lena?"<p>

Lena tried out a small smile, "Small world?"

Bianca tried to puzzle out why Lena was there. "I know that you're not one of the new donors, my first meeting this morning is with the new CEO of Chandler Enter... you? Adam Chandler and the board put... you in charge of Chandler Enterprises?"

Lena winced, "Ah, yes. It's a good thing that JR is behind bars, wouldn't you say?"

Bianca blew out a breath, "Not to mention it's a very good thing that my mother is somewhere in the world chasing after Uncle Jack."

Lena's shoulders let go of a bit of their tension. "Ah, so, the rumors that they broke up were true?"

Bianca nodded, "C'mon, we can talk in my office." They walked in silence down the hall and stayed silent until both of them were seated. Bianca behind her desk and Lena in a visitor's chair, "Is your mother, ah, well?"

Lena shook her head, "No. She- she died a few years ago."

"I'm sorry. I..." Bianca blew out a breath, "This is like old home week."

Lena's eyes met Bianca's, "What do you mean?"

"Maggie, she... she died, in Paris. I just, last night I met her, her body at the airport."

Lena's lips slowly wrapped themselves around the name, "Maggie, Maggie Stone?" Bianca nodded, "Are you, okay?"

Bianca shook her head, "No, not really, but Marissa," A smile came to Bianca's lips without her even knowing it, "she's there. And of course, AJ, Miranda and Gabby too."

Lena nodded, "I... how is Miranda doing?"

Bianca met Lena's eyes, "Other than Miranda none of those names registered, huh?"

Lena held up her hands, "I haven't been keeping an eye on you, so..."

Bianca feigned astonishment, "You don't keep track of the youngest Erica Kane daughter, I'm aghast." Lena smiled back to that, "Ah, Marissa Trasker, my... girlfriend, partner, lover, maybe one day my wife. She's actually Babe's fraternal twin sister."

Lena interrupted Bianca, "That has to be a story."

"Oh yes. Babe isn't... she..."

"I'm sorry."

Bianca nodded, "Thank you. We always had an, interesting friendship. But with Marissa, she's my rock. Gabby, she's my daughter with Reese, we, ah, we got married, and then divorced. AJ is Marissa's adopted son and of course..."

"JR's son. That one I did know. Little Adam." Lena's face scrunched up for a half a second, "But, that would mean..."

"...that JR married both twin sisters. Yes." Bianca smiled, "I don't hold that against her, and she doesn't hold against me the fact that I am divorced, although it's partially her fault."

"Oh?"

Bianca's nose wrinkled a bit, "She was my divorce lawyer."

Lena tried to hold in her laughter, "I apologize."

"Why? I'm very happy to be living that particular cliche. She's the best thing that ever happened to me." Bianca changed the subject, "But, back to the point of this meeting, Chandler Enterprise's donations to the Miranda Center."

"Honestly, I'm not entirely sure about amounts yet. Chandler is in quite the disarray. For now, that is my best answer." She paused, "But, I do not anticipate that it will stay in disarray, so, sooner rather than later I will have an answer for you."

Bianca regarded Lena for a long moment then stood, "I guess that I will have to push the next two donors for more money."

Lena flashed her very best smile and poured on the accent, "I could always stay."

Bianca laughed, "Are men still for business and women for pleasure Lena?"

Lena shook her head emphatically, "Oh no, men, have only ever given me trouble." She paused, "May I..." she trailed off.

Bianca came around the desk and gave Lena a hug. "It's good to see you." She stepped back and narrowed her eyes, "Just promise me that you're not up to your old tricks?"

"I promise." Her eyes twinkled, "Are business tricks included in this? Legal of course?"

Bianca sighed, "Fusion?"

Lena gave a quick shake of her head, "Oh no, no, no... I am not getting near Greenlee or Kendall's baby." That made Bianca laugh. "I'll get out of your way. Remember." Lena brushed a lock of hair from Bianca's forehead, "Your hair, it's your best, G rated at least, feature."

Bianca rolled her eyes, "Good-bye Lena."

"I'll see you at some point, of that I have no doubt. Probably sooner rather than later."

Bianca was silent for a half a second, then spoke, "How about for lunch today, a late one, one o'clock, at Krystal's. It's a restaurant."

"I saw it on the way here."

Bianca nodded, "I'll introduce you to Marissa."

Lena held her tongue for a moment as well and then nodded. "I'll see you there."

* * *

><p>Marissa sat down at the bar and Krystal looked up. "Hon, what's wrong?"<p>

Marissa shook her head, "Being in love sucks, you know that?"

Krystal chuckled, "Honey,... I know that better than most. Is something wrong?"

"No, not with us. Bianca is amazing, and caring, and... Maggie's death is ripping her in two, and yet she still went to work, to meetings."

Krystal put a drink in front of Marissa, "You must know by now, that's just who Bianca is. Everyone comes before she does."

Marissa sighed, "I know, I know. I try to get her to let someone else take the burden. I try to, but... sometimes." She shook her head and changed the subject, "I wasn't being funny last night. And we both agree. You're welcome as long as you want Krystal. You and Jenny."

"And Kate."

Marissa smiled, "She does seem to be there a lot as well huh? We have quite the wide and varied family don't we." She sighed, "I don't like feeling so powerless. There must something else I can do to help her."

Krystal shook her head, but didn't respond to Marissa, instead she looked over her daughter's shoulder. "Bianca and..." Krystal sounded surprised, "Lena?" Her smile disappeared.

Marissa turned and accepted Bianca's kiss before she regarded the newcomer. "Marissa Trasker, or Chandler, or maybe even Montgomery depending on who you ask. Call me Marissa."

She held her hand out and Lena shook it, "Lena Kundera, and, I'm not as bad as Krystal's tone implies." Lena met Krystal's gaze, "Especially since she doesn't have a perfect track record in Pine Valley."

Bianca held her hands up between the two women, "Truce. Truce."

The two womens' eyes met again, "If I order something, will it come poisoned?"

Krystal tilted her head to one side, "If I poisoned all those in Pine Valley I had... issues with... then the town would be a lonely place."

Lena ordered and turned to Bianca and Marissa, "Have you been together for long?"

The two women looked at one another and smiles came to both their lips. Bianca answered, "Four months or so."

Bianca seemed to want to say something more, but Marissa spoke up, "Has Bianca asked you how you're doing?"

Lena smiled, "Well, I'm doing well." She paused, "Not as well as the looks on your faces reveal."

Before anyone could say anything further Bianca went rigid and both Lena and Marissa looked back towards the doorway. A tall and skinny looking woman with dark black hair that hung in waves down her back strode into the restaurant. Her clothes hung on her like she was a model and her shoes could have been substituted for medieval torture devices they were so high.

Bianca practically spit out the name, "Cecelia."

The use of her name caused the woman to look up, "Bianca."

"What are you doing here?"

Cecelia's voice was thick with a French accent as she spoke, "I loved her and when you ripped out her heart, I still loved her and was there for her."

Cecelia took a few steps towards Bianca and almost as one Lena and Marissa were off their stools and both standing in front of Bianca, shoulder to shoulder. Cecelia shook her head, "Americans, always ready for violence."

"She's Polish."

Lena glanced over at Bianca, "Actually, I was naturalized last year. It's now my country as well."

Bianca paused for a moment, then gave Lena a half hug from the side, "Congratulations Lena. Now, no one, not even my mother can kick you out of the country."

Lena took a step back from Bianca and her gaze went back to the interloper Cecelia, "I believe that Cecelia is still glowering."

All three women looked over, "Cece..."

"No, listen to me. I loved her- I will be at the funeral and I will pay my respects like all the others who loved her. They'll be more genuine than yours." With that she turned on her heels and strutted out the door.

Marissa put a hand on Bianca's thigh, "Hey, you okay?"

Lena spoke, "I'll leave you two alone."

Bianca caught Lena's hand, "Thank you."


	3. Chapter 3

Frankie winced into the setting sun as she walked out of the Pine Valley City Hall. She'd missed lunch and worked until it was nearly evening without realizing it. Her eyes were focused on her phone, scrolling down a list of addresses. She had no clue if any one of them would be where- where she needed to be, but she had to try.

Her phone rang in her hand and with a look at the display and a wince she answered it, "Stone."

She was silent for a few moments, "No, it won't happen again. You'll be able to set your watch by my checkins."

She listened again to her boss, "No new leads. We know he's here, we know he killed Maggie, we just don't know who the hell he is pretending to be."

Frankie closed her eyes for a moment, "Yes, I understand, but- and trust me, I hat the idea more than you do, but maybe we would be better off if we told Bi- about, well, everything?"

Frankie made a face, "Boss-" and was cut off, "Okay, okay, I get it, the..." Frankie rolled her eyes, "Person... that you're doing this favor for doesn't want Bianca to know, I get it, I get it. No telling Bi-. Hate it, but got it. But, this guy is gunnin' for her, and she has no clue, and that never ends well." Frankie hurfed, "Yeah, yeah..."

She hung up her phone and pulled a necklace from under her shirt and opened it. It held a picture of a man she'd never met and a girl she'd once loved.

It had been hell to get the locket back. She'd had it with her when she was shot in the head, but hadn't had it when she came to, wherever the hell her cousin had stashed her.

It had been a hard few years before she was well enough to leave the Orpheus medical facility permanently. The first thing she did was go back to Pine Valley, to the boat house, and she found herself there with Bianca, laughing, having a good time, looking very, very happy. Of course, it wasn't really her, but her twin sister Mary Margaret Stone.

Frankie didn't interrupt them, didn't reveal herself, but that night she broke into Bianca's room. It took a lot out of her, but she was successful in taking back Bianca's gift to her.

Frankie tucked the necklace back under her shirt. She'd protect Bianca and find the bastard if it was the last thing she did.

* * *

><p>"But I want to GOooo Mom. It's not fair, it's not FAIR."<p>

Bianca touched Miranda's shoulder, but Miranda practically threw herself backwards. "Honey, I'm just..."

Miranda crossed her arms over her chest, "You think that if I don't go I'll forget her or something, but I remember her, I'll remember her forever and ever Mom. When we had tickle wars, or, or when I was really little and she flew me around, and you said, 'don't drop her' and she- she said," Miranda sniffed back a tear and cleared her throat once, then twice, "I don't, it's not fair."

Miranda nearly ran into AJ as she charged up the stairs.

AJ frowned, "Bianca, why's Miranda pissed?"

Bianca sat back in the couch. "It doesn't matter."

AJ put his hands on his hips, "I'm not a kid, okay. It totally matters. Miranda's my sister, right?" Bianca didn't respond, but AJ didn't seem to want a response as he kept going, "Did Miranda say she wanted to go to the funeral. I don't remember Maggie, but she sounds like she was cool. You should let her go. She loved Maggie." AJ paused and took another tact, "I mean, what would you do if your Mom totally didn't let you go to a funeral, like, Uncle Jack's, or, or Nanna Krystal's or somebodies?"

Bianca finally looked up as AJ turned to go back upstairs, "Hey AJ."

AJ looked over his shoulder, "Huh?"

"You can tell her that she can go, you all can if you'd like. And... don't ever stop defending her, alright?"

AJ responded in a tone that sounded quite miffed, "Yeah, duh." And climbed the stairs.

There was a knock on the door and Bianca opened it. Kathy stood there with her arms crossed over her chest. Bianca took a step back into the house, "They're all upstairs."

"Thank you Aunt Bianca."

She watched Kathy climb the stairs and pulled her phone from her pocket. "Hi, are you busy?" Bianca smiled, "Ah, Marissa, my very own comic genius. So, I love the kids. I know you do too, but we're going on vacation after Christmas. It's our gift to ourselves. We can go wherever you want to go, somewhere warm, or skiing, or Europe, or anywhere..."

Bianca was silent, "Well, I was thinking we'd have other things to do than actually ski."

She smiled as Marissa spoke again, "Well, they do us, so, we'll dump them on Kendall and Zach, or, your Mom if she's still living here and hasn't moved out because of the craziness by then." Bianca took a long breath in and let it out slowly, "Just us, and a whole bunch of snow, and maybe a fire to sit in front of..." Bianca smirked, "You're right, being flat on our back's good too."

Bianca was silent for another moment, before she responded, "I love you too. DOn't work too hard."

But, as she hung up her phone she was jolted back to reality, "Mommmyyyy- Miranda won't let me plaaayyyy..."

Bianca took a deep breath and started up the stairs.

* * *

><p>Frankie looked down at her phone, confirming the first address on the list. She shook her head and stashed the phone. She'd need both hands to climb into the property. She was over the wall and nearly to the back door when a voice spoke, "I shouldn't be surprised that breaking and entering is in your repertoire."<p>

Frankie regarded Lena, "You live, here?"

"Until I find something-"

"-smaller?"

"Yes, why are you here?"

Frankie was silent for a long couple of minutes, "I'm looking for someone. I looked at PV's records, took down some of the addresses. This one was the first on my list."

"I'm the only one here. Not even- I believe her name is Winifred- is here."

Frankie gestured towards the house, "May I come in?"

"To-" Lena quirked an eyebrow, "-search the premises?"

Frankie threw back, "Oh, is there something else I should be doing, we should be doing?"

Lena led the way inside, "You almost have me convinced that you are not Maggie."

Frankie glanced around the Chandler living room that looked as though it hadn't been lived in since the shooting. "Do you have a cheap pen and paper. One of those white jobbers that'll snap like a toothpick?"

"Ah-" They went to Adam's study and after a couple of drawers Lena came up with a piece of paper and an ink pad. "Will this do?"

"I'm adaptable." She went back to the living room, Lena trailing after her. She opened the ink pad and smoothed the paper out. "Maggie- we were identical twins, so, same DNA, but, that doesn't matter when it comes to fingerprints. Mine and my sister's are different, not to mention-" Frankie smirked, "I do have a bit of a record here in PV, so-" She put her fingers on the ink pad, then carefully put them on the piece of paper. "These are proof that I'm Frankie Stone." She looked down again, "Kitchen?"

Lena gestured towards the doorway at the other end of the living room. "I'll be in the study."

* * *

><p>The man with a permanent scowl on his face stayed far enough behind Miranda and Bianca that he was sure they didn't know he was there.<p>

When they got to their destination the man gave a snort. The Miranda Center. That was rich.

He very carefully followed them inside and slipped into the stairwell. He watched as the receptionist and Bianca spoke for a few moments, then she kept going and the receptionist and Miranda spoke for a bit before Miranda sat down in one of the waiting chairs.

The man was still for a moment and then opened his phone.

* * *

><p>Miranda frowned at the Sports Illustrated Magazine. She'd never understood sports. Not why everyone just had to call zero love, or why there were three strikes but four balls, not to mention why in the world grown men would throw themselves at each other for fun or money, on ice or turf.<p>

She looked up as a man in a baseball cap approached her. She looked over at the reception desk, but Anne Lee wasn't there.

The man knelt in front of her, "Hi, you're Miranda, right?"

Miranda shrank back as far as she could in the chair and rolled up the SI. "I have a really loud scream- okay- I..."

The man moved back a little, "No, no, I'm an,... old friend of your mother. Mike. We were in, college at the same time, we had anatomy together. I just wondered if you knew how long your Mom would be?"

Miranda shook her head and looked past Mike, her eyes widened and she looked back to the man, but he was gone. She got up and ran to the blonde entering the Miranda Center and practically jumped into her arms. "Reese!"

Reese caught Miranda with an oof and hugged her hard, "Hey Miranda- hey, if you squeeze too hard I may pop. Where's your mom?"

Reese put Miranda on the floor, "She's in her office. We went to the park, but then Mom had to stop here. So- will you come home with us and have dinner?"

Reese smiled and put her hand on Miranda's head, "I bet your Mom might have something to say about that."

"Reese- is it okay if I like Marissa too, love her?"

Reese smiled a sad smile, "Of course it is Miranda. I should..."

"-come home with us for dinner."

Reese looked up at Bianca, "That's not why I'm here."

Bianca's eyes twinkled, though she managed to keep a smile off her face, "You're here to meet with the new CEO of Chandler Enterprises."

"Uh, yes, actually, how did you-"

Bianca didn't answer the question, "MIranda's invitation isn't a bad one, and, it'll kill two birds with one stone. You can meet the CEO and see Gabby."

Reese looked so hopeful that Bianca nearly winced, "Are you sure?"

"Yes. C'mon, let's go see what sort of trouble Marissa, AJ and Gabby have gotten into. I think that Jenny and Krystal are at the Martins tonight."

* * *

><p>Lena felt out of place. She wasn't even sure why she'd accepted Bianca's invitation. Frankie had left without telling her, obviously not finding who she was looking for in the Mansion, and not too long after that, Bianca had called with the invitation to dinner. Meeting Marissa or AJ wasn't what had thrown her off, but seeing little Gabby. Both of Bianca's daughters were like her, but while Miranda was Bianca's seriousness in smaller form, Gabby was the part of Bianca that Lena had always loved seeing, the mischievous scoundrel that no one expected, the woman with a smile on her face and a twinkle in her eye.<p>

She looked up as two cars pulled into the driveway. Miranda and Bianca piled out of one and a blonde woman in business attire out of the other.

Lena straightened up as Miranda was the first one to her, "Lena- is AJ inside?"

Lena nodded and Miranda went inside. Bianca and the blonde weren't far behind. "Reese Williams, Lena Kundera, the current CEO of Chandler Enterprises. Reese is-"

Lena nodded as she stuck her hand out and Reese shook it, "The Europe project that- JR- started."

Reese tilted her head to one side, "That doesn't sound promising."

"I..." Lena gestured that Reese should precede her inside, "Supper first."

* * *

><p>"Tell my boss that we need to tell Bianca about," Frankie shook her head, "about your idiot mistake."<p>

David put a hand on Frankie's shoulder from across the interview table, but she shook it off, "Frankie- you and she can-"

Frankie stood and paced to the doorway that looked out into the rest of the jail. "Let me count the ways you're a freakin' ass David. You play god with the entire town of Pine Valley, but that's not enough, you've got to bring back to life the one person that nearly succeeded in ripping the town to shreds at the seams."

"He wasn't supposed to survive. They, the others, they were, my daughter..." David's face went slack, "She was supposed to, he was supposed to die. He was the pure experiment to test the limits, to test... anything. Because of him I cured Dixie and Zach, and almost Babe. But then, he kept surviving, and then..."

Frankie turned, her arms over her chest, "He escaped. You let Michael fuckin' Cambias escape." Frankie threw her hands in the air, "I thought that you actually- loved- Bianca. How cold you ever put someone you love in so much damn danger, huh?"

"Frankie-"

Frankie shook her head and held up a hand, "I just... I'm done here. Call her or don't. But, I'm telling Bianca. Guard."

* * *

><p>Lena shook her head with a half a smile and a shiver. She stood at the edge of the house, trying to suck in as much of the house's heat and watched as the Trasker Montgomery family as well as Reese stood out in the freezing cold, grilling dinner.<p>

The Reese, Marissa interaction had been a bit tense, still was as Marissa seemed to be hovering a bit closer than needed to Bianca and the two girls.

But, as opposed to Marissa, Gabby and Miranda seemed super excited that Reese was there, giving her a tour of the house, what they'd been doing in school, not to mention all their Christmas expectations.

Reese had brought two presents with her that Gabby and Miranda had carefully found a place for under the Christmas tree, then they bugged Bianca until she found an not yet hung up ornament that Reese got to hang on the tree.

Lena felt a breeze behind her and half turned. Somehow she managed to catch Frankie before the shorter woman stepped around the corner. "Weren't you just begging me not to tell Bianca that you were in town?"

"Lena, let go."

Lena kept a firm hold, pinning her to the house and shook her head, "Tell me what's happening."

"Lena."

Lena stared at Frankie for a long moment, and finally Frankie glanced towards the corner, "It's too long of an explanation for here-"

Lena wasn't being moved, "There's a solution to that."

Frankie stared at Lena for a long moment, the nodded, "Everything. That would be why you're CEO right?" Frankie sighed, "Fine, fine, my room. The mansion-" She shook her head, "Too many people know the Chandler place. Do you know the Pine Cone?"

"Yes."

"14."

Lena looked up as her name was called and when she looked back Frankie was walking away. In the back of Lena's mind she wondered if there would be anyone in room 14 when she got there. She took a breath and walked back around the corner, avoiding a patch of ice and stopping in front of the shivering family that was huddled together. "I apologize, but I have to leave. Something has come up."

"Work?"

Lena gave Bianca a vaguely committed nod, "I thank you for the invitation to dinner, if I could have a rain check."

Surprisingly it was Marissa who answered, "Of course. I'd recommend using it in the summer."

Lena quirked an eyebrow, "I wasn't going to mention the fact that it has taken nearly a half an hour for your burgers to cook. I-" She shook her head, "Good luck."

That got a laugh as Lena walked back towards the driveway and her car. Marissa looked over at Reese, "She's quite an interesting woman, and gay too..."

Reese chuckled a bit, "And my boss at the moment."

Bianca shot Marissa a look, but Marissa just smiled, "Sometimes working with someone can bring out the romance quite nicely."


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:** Just a warning. This part is more serious. Seriously serious, and not in a fun way, and it'll probably get a bit worse too (not showing anything or anything like that, 'cause I don't write that way in my fanfiction, but it won't be fun subjects). Just a warning.

* * *

><p>AJ gently pushed at Miranda's shoulder, "Miranda, are you up yet?"<p>

Miranda blinked, "AJ, I just went to sleep, right?" Her face was open for a moment, then it closed again as she realized what day it was. "Oh... today's the... Oh."

AJ looked over where Reese was crashed on Jenny''s bed, then over Miranda to where Gabby was still asleep in her own bed and held up a half full glass of chocolate milk. "Here, it's your favorite."

Miranda sniffled a bit as she sat up. AJ handed his sister the cup and climbed onto the end of the bed. He stumbled over his words, "It- it sucks, ya know, losing a mom."

Miranda frowned at AJ, "Maggie wasn't, I mean, she sorta was, but not like Aunt Babe was your mom."

AJ shrugged and stared down at his hands, "Mom and Bianca say that moms are moms no matter wh-where you find 'em or what you call 'em, ya know? Dad's too, like Uncle Jack is a dad to Bianca. Ya know?" He looked up.

Miranda nodded as she finished off her milk, "Thank you."

AJ shrugged again, "Sure. Should we wake up Gabby?"

Miranda nodded.

On the other bed Reese smiled to herself as she closed her eyes. It was a sad smile. A smile during which she realized that what had been her family was happy without her, happy with another person next to Bianca through it all. She opened her eyes again as the two girls attacked AJ with tickling.

Reese just hoped that maybe Bianca would keep letting her be in the girls' lives again. Maybe Lena would even shut down the European Chandler project and she'd have an excuse to move back to the states.

Reese blew out a breath, it would all work out. It had to.

* * *

><p>"It was a dream?"<p>

Marissa hugged Bianca closer, "No, I wish, but no. I think the kids are up. I heard AJ in the kitchen doing something with a glass."

Bianca winced, "Ooh-"

Marissa chuckled, "I think it was for Miranda though, so," Marissa paused, "She's coming with us?"

Bianca closed her eyes, "Everyone is, if they want to. Is that, I mean, you and AJ."

Marissa touched Bianca's chin and Bianca looked into Marissa's eyes, "Do you think I could make him stay home if Miranda gets to go? I shudder to think about her first boyfriend and what AJ'll do to him. And, you couldn't make me stay home if you tried either."

"Like mother like son?" Bianca gave Marissa a kiss, "I guess we're all going then."

They fell silent for a moment, listening to the rise and fall of AJ, Miranda and Gabby's voices down the hall, "I- ah- called a few people in Paris. They, they said that Maggie's death may not have been as straight forward as we were led to believe."

Marissa sat up, though she didn't let go of Bianca, "I think that first we need to get through today, then..."

Bianca rested her head against Marissa's shoulder, "Then."

* * *

><p>"Why are you here?"<p>

Lena brushed a lock of hair from Frankie's scarred shoulder. She kissed where she had touched. "I thought that last night transcended language."

Frankie pushed Lena back, though it was gently, and rolled out of bed. "I'm not kidding."

Lena pursed her lips, "In France, Paris- I met Maggie. We had lunch when I was there on business." Frankie turned with a frown on her face and Lena answered the unasked question, "I could barely stand Maggie on a good day, we just had lunch. She was trying to decide whether or not to come back to Pine Valley and try to repair things with Bianca, or if she should stay in Paris with Cecelia."

Frankie turned her back on Lena again. "Did you tell Maggie to go or stay?"

"Neither. I wasn't getting into the middle of their relationship again."

Frankie pulled on her pants and tucked in her shirt, "Again?" Frankie shook her head, "Never mind, I don't care."

Lena caught Frankie's arm and she turned, "You're nothing like her. Bianca loved you, this I know from the inside, I was there. She loved you, that is why it never truly worked between Maggie and she, because she loved you, and Maggie was simply a copy that had gotten a bit too degraded in the copying process."

Frankie yanked her arm away, "This was one night of sex, don't pretend you know anything about me."

She stood, put on her coat, and was gone, leaving Lena alone in the room. Lena sighed, "Perhaps you two are more alike than I thought."

* * *

><p>"Mom."<p>

Bianca looked over at her daughter, "Miranda."

"Is Uncle Dave coming?"

Bianca nodded, "He is. But he may be in handcuffs. I just..."

"I know he got in trouble and went to jail Mom, okay. I'm not stupid."

Bianca hugged Miranda with one arm, "I always forget, you're entirely too old for your age."

Miranda rolled her eyes, "Mom, can Reese visit some times, or now, or, you know, whenever?"

Bianca gently cut her daughter off, "Yes, if that's what you want. If that's what you and your sister want."

"Yes. She's not bad Mom. She's really not."

Bianca nodded, "I know Miranda, I know."

A throat cleared and Bianca and Miranda looked up to see Krystal and Jenny standing in the doorway. Bianca stood as well, "Ah," and cleared her throat, "There aren't..."

Miranda held her hand out and Jenny took it, "Everybody else is sitting in the first row, c'mon Jenny. Is Kathy coming too?"

Krystal put a hand on Bianca's arm as the two girls went to the front of the chapel. "Are you prepared?"

Bianca frowned, "Prepared?"

The doors to the chapel opened and people, a lot of people, started coming in. "Oh, prepared-" Bianca and Krystal stepped to one side, "I- my mother-" Bianca trailed off and shook her head, "I don't know if I- Marissa's here, but, I-"

Krystal caught Bianca before she hit the floor, "I'm not Erica Kane, but I'm here for you if ya need me, just like my daughter."

* * *

><p>Frankie looked up at the house in front of her. It was a cross between something colonial and something more like a ranch. It was smaller than she'd thought it would be. She'd been to the neighbors houses and the descriptions of the owner of the house, a newcomer, matched her target though, that was all that mattered.<p>

She glanced one way, then the other and slipped out her lock picks. It didn't take her long before she was in. She didn't bother with stealth, after putting on gloves, she ripped into everything she could find, from drawers and under the mattress to the dressers and the trash. She found a bunch of cut out and printed out articles about Bianca. That didn't surprise her at all.

Frankie found a printed out AP report about Maggie's death, a few lines only, and even that wasn't surprising. Frankie and her boss had been pretty sure from the beginning that it had been Michael who had killed Maggie. But, the next thing she found on his desk, that was what chilled her to the core.

It was a journal of some sort. As she rifled through it she could see that he'd started it soon after he'd escaped from David's facility. It contained lots of rants, information about Maggie's murder. She knew all that already so she skipped to the end and swore.

Her phone came out so fast that it seemed as though it had been transported there. "It's Stone." She rattled off the address, "I need crime scene people here and you too boss. I know what he's after. Bianca-la, and his daughter."

* * *

><p>Michael Cambias was waiting out of sight near the front of the chapel. There were doors on either side of the chapel that led downstairs, and he was just inside one of them. He couldn't have planned the whole thing better if he'd done it himself.<p>

The pastor had gone on for what seemed like forever, then Doctor Hayward, with his overseers hovering, had spoken as well, though he was much briefer. Then Bianca had stood. She'd gotten a squeeze from the red headed trollop seated next to her and she spoke about her friend and lover.

Michael nearly gagged. Then it happened. Miranda Mona Montgomery slowly got up and stood next to her mother.

Michael took a breath in, Miranda was saying something about nothing that mattered, and he exploded from the doorway. With one hand he swung Miranda up over his shoulder, his other putting a knife to Bianca's throat. Everyone in the chapel went silent. He could see Kendall gasp, that made his black heart flutter with laughter. His only regret in this little show was that Erica was still chasing her one and only from one side of the globe to the other and wasn't there to see the disappearance of her favorite daughter.

Michael didn't spoil the silence with any words. He wasn't there to impart witty repartee, he was there to screw them over, give them a damn big scare, and take what was his.

Then he was just gone.

Tad, Jesse, AJ, Brot and Natalia were the first up and after Michael, followed closely by Zach. Then a beat later the doors at the back exploded open and Frankie stumbled to a halt with a swear.

Everyones' heads swiveled to face her and jaws dropped. It was Kendall who spoke first, "Maggie?"

Frankie tried to continue up the aisle, but was stopped by a wall of Greenlee and Kendall. "No, I'm not her, let me go, I have to..."

They didn't move. "If you're not Maggie, who the hell are you?"

She stared past the two women, she could feel Michael getting farther and farther away with every second she had to explain herself to the two women. "Frankie, I'm Frankie Stone. Her twin." She slapped at the end of one of the pews. "And now he's gone again. Damnit." She squeezed her eyes closed, "God, I hate Pine Valley."

Greenlee turned and backed David into a corner of the chapel. "Two more people, back from the dead. I thought you said we were done. Stuart was the end. Stuart was supposed to be the end David. And Cambias, Michael Cambias, who's next, Hitler, Napoleon, Ted Bundy?"

"I-"

Frankie shook her head, "Oh, get over yourselves. As if any of this surprises you people. You all, you sleep with each other, try to kill each other, then have frickin' tea and crumpets. We need to find Bianca and Miranda, now."

AJ stumbled back into the chapel and Frankie managed to catch him just before he hit the ground. He was bleeding from his head, "Sh-shot. Man ha-had a g-gun."

That caused pretty much the rest of the people in the chapel, men and women even the pastor, to go chase after their loved ones, leaving Gabby, Marissa, AJ and Frankie alone in a suddenly quiet chapel."

Frankie kept the pressure on AJ's head, "You're okay, you're okay buddy..."

Tears streamed down AJ's face, "I tried, I tr-tried to save her. I'm- I'm sorry Mom, I'm sorry Gabby..."

Frankie moved to the side, her hand still on AJ's head as Marissa hugged the boy to her. "It'll be okay, it will all be okay, okay?"

Frankie cleared her throat, "We need to get your son to the hospital. Have them do a CT on his head." Frankie took one of Marissa's hands and put it where hers had been on AJ's still bleeding head. "I need to-"

AJ grabbed at Frankie's sleeve and Gabby seemed to come from nowhere and grasped Frankie around the waist. "Plese, stay, please?"

Frankie looked towards the door, then back to AJ, Marissa and Gabby, even Marissa had a bit of a freaked out look on her face. She swore under her breath and took out her phone, "It's Stone. You're on your way, great, yeah, I lost him, and..." She met Marissa's gaze, "I'll be at PVH."

* * *

><p>"Don't hurt her, don't-" Bianca's head slammed back into the front seat's head rest as Michael backhanded her. Miranda lay perfectly still in the back seat, her hands bound behind her back and unconscious from the chloroform that Michael had used on her.<p>

"Why, 'cause she's my daughter?"

Bianca had no response. She carefully tried to test her own bonds, her hands were tied tightly behind her, it made sitting quite uncomfortable. Unfortunately her gut told her that since Michael was letting her see where they were going, even restrained as she was, she was dead. Maybe not right away, but she wasn't getting away this time.

"What, nothing to say now? No screaming, pleading-" He turned his head and smirked, "No Thank You for your... present. She is a joy isn't she." Bianca mumbled something under her breath, "What, what was that bitch?"

Bianca stared straight ahead, all the emotion of her previous outburst had dropped from her tone, "If you touch a hair on her head, or even look at her the wrong way, I will kill you."

Michael reached to one side and came back up with a cloth. Bianca tried to keep her nose and face away from the smell, but it was a losing battle because between her restraint and the seat belt she had limited mobility and after a moment she joined her daughter in the land of unconscious.

Michael shook his head as he dropped the cloth on the middle console. "Damn I forgot how damn chatty Kanes were."


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N:** Just a warning. This part is more serious. Seriously serious, and not in a fun way. Also, this one has a bit of violence. Just a warning.

**A/N #2:** Oh, and I apologize for the Quote in there, what can I say, I'm in the process of planning an ER/Warehouse 13 fic for NaNoWriMo, and it just sorta slipped in there while I wasn't watching.

* * *

><p>"I am not going back to jail. Not yet."<p>

David was true to his word as the correctional officers tried to move him he pulled back. He glanced up as a dark haired woman entered the waiting room area. "Cara, is AJ okay?"

Cara nodded as her hand strayed to her own growing child. She shook her head, "CT was clean. David, you need to go back to jail."

David stared down the correctional officer. "Not until Miranda and Bianca are found. I... this is only about them. Only."

"Doctor Hayward."

"It's okay officer," another newcomer, also with dark hair, though this one also had a badge and a gun hooked on her waistband. "For now, he's a free man, for the moment at least. He still has enough friends in low places to get that."

"Anna?"

Anna Devane shook her head as she handed her credentials to the officer. "Don't Anna me. If you do anything other than what I tell you, I will personally see that you get just enough months added to your sentence. That means you don't get out on good behavior in time to see your son or daughter born."

David's jaw worked but he stayed silent. While Cara blinked in surprise at Anna, "You've done your homework." Anna glanced over at the doctor as Cara held a hand out, "Cara Castillo."

"I know." She shook Cara's hand, then took back her ID from the officer. "I will return your prisoner to you when this is done, but, you're welcome to stay if you'd like as well."

The officer nodded, "I will be staying ma'am."

"Good, now where the hell is Stone?"

* * *

><p>"You'll never leave me alone now, huh? Was the sex that good?"<p>

Lena sat down right next to Frankie, their shoulders touching. Lena was mildly surprised when Frankie didn't move away. Instead of commenting on that she shot back a quip of her own, "Was it good for you?"

Frankie glanced over at Lena and shook her head, "I think, I think I can see why Bianca loved you."

"You speak the words as if you mean them."

Frankie turned her head back towards the altar in the chapel. "You..." and found her lips captured by Lena's. She tried to pull away, but Lena wouldn't let her go, and for just a moment she let it all go, the past, the uncertain future and kissed Lena back.

But, a moment later she pulled away with a jerk and frowned. "No, I don't have time, I don't..."

"You are..." Lena closed her eyes for a moment, the spoke again when she opened them,  
>"When love is lost and loss oe'rtakes me,<br>The rules of love then are hidden;  
>And chaos rules and order lost,<br>And hidden then, my heart, from love."

Frankie frowned, "What, that's Shakespeare or something?"

"Warehouse 13." Frankie shook her head, not getting the reference, but Lena wasn't done. "Frankie. You will find her, you will save her, and then perhaps we'll get to talk."

Frankie brushed Lena's bangs up, which promptly fell back down. "Even your hair won't don what it's supposed to do." Frankie sighed, "I need to go. We have to find Binx and Triple M yesterday."

"Triple M?"

Frankie shrugged as she rose. Lena rose as well, "What are you doing Lena?"

"I know Michael Cambias." She winced, "That fact does not make me happy, but I will be of assistance in your search for them."

Frankie regarded Lena, her arms crossed over her chest, "No more hanky panky?"

Lena raised an eyebrow, "Hanky panky?"

Frankie just rolled her eyes.

* * *

><p>Miranda looked at the steel door that hadn't wanted to come open when she had yanked, even when she'd used all her weight behind the yank.<p>

She took in a breath, trying to calm her racing heart, but it wasn't working. She just felt light headed as well as scared out of her mind. Finally she saw her mom blink once, then again and Miranda let out the breath she'd held. "Mom- Mom?"

Bianca winced and held a hand to her head, "Ugh-" It felt as though someone was pressing on one side of her brain. "Miranda? You 'kay?"

Miranda nodded and looked around the room, "I'm sorry Mom. I'm sorry."

Bianca frowned, not sure if she'd missed something, "Honey, sorry?"

"I, I shoulda fought, or, or, something-"

Bianca's mind was righting itself and she realized that Miranda was cradling her arm to her chest. "Miranda, what's wrong."

The young girl shook her head, "It's okay."

"Miranda Mona Montgomery. I am your mother-"

MIranda didn't move, but she nodded, "My arm feels funny."

Bianca carefully felt up and down the arm, "I think that you dislocated your shoulder kiddo. At least, there's a bump where there's not supposed to be a bump."

"Ooh, like Brot did in Basketball?"

Bianca smiled just a bit, ""Where did you hear that story?"

"Dr. Cara told me- Mom-" She looked towards the door, "I'm sorry." Miranda jumped as Bianca pushed at her shoulder and there was movement and then a little teeny bit of relief, covered by a different sort of pain.

"Is that better?"

"Oh- yes." Miranda took a long breath out, "Mom-"

Bianca shook her head, "I don't know what's going to happen Mir-"

Miranda laid her head against her Mom's chest and closed her eyes, "Mom, how do you know what I'm thinking sometimes?"

Bianca wrapped her arms around her daughter, "Because I've known you so long. Promise me something cutie, okay?" Miranda looked worried, "If I'm not here, you have to plug your ears."

"Bu-Mom..."

Bianca's face was drawn, "No matter what, promise me, please."

Miranda was still for a moment, then nodded, "Okay, I promise."

Bianca hugged Miranda to her body and kissed her forehead, "I love you."

"Love you too Mom."

* * *

><p>Frankie paced one way, then the other. One way, then the other.<p>

"Stop. For the love of God stop Frankie."

Frankie turned and faced Lena, who had a fast asleep Gabby on her lap. "I should have found him sooner."

"Yes you should have."

Frankie turned to face the woman who had spoken, "Anna, you're here-" She looked over Anna's shoulder, "David."

"Frankie."

Their gazes met and neither spoke for a moment. Finally it was David who broke the uncomfortable silence, "AJ?"

Frankie shook her head, "Don't know."

The blonde blew in like a tornado, "They're gone?" Reese's eyes immediately went to Gabby in Lena's lap. "Bianca and Miranda?"

Frankie nodded and Reese whirled, giving David a shove. "How could you?"

Gabby gave a yawn and spotted Reese. she was down from Lena's lap and over to Reese pulling at her shirt in a mere moment, "Up Ree, up pwease." Reese hefted Gabby into her arms and held the little girl tightly. Gabby sighed as she put her head down on Reese's shoulder, "Find Mommy and Miranda?"

Reese rubbed at Gabby's back. "We'll find 'em. Okay, we will."

Frankie turned from the scene and to her boss, "You're not taking this away from me, you're not..."

Anna pursed her lips, "I'm on my way to calm Jesse down, you see if you can get anything from AJ when he can talk." Anna took a step closer to Frankie and put a hand on her shoulder. "You know who Bianca is, Miranda too, if we don't find them-"

"I know what the wrath of Erica Kane feels like Anna." Frankie shook her head, "We don't find them, hell comes to PV. I know."

Anna glanced towards Lena, "You've- deputized Ms. Kundera?"

Frankie gave a short nod of her head, "She knows Cambias better than any of us."

"Even Zach Slater?"

"Especially Zach Slater."

* * *

><p>Miranda had her eyes squeezed closed and her fingers pushing down in her ears. She was as far back in the dark room as she could be. She could hear herself breathing, it was like she had Darth Vader in her head. She'd never liked Darth Vader. He'd always scared her, probably 'cause she couldn't see his face or anything like that. She tried to pray to God, but she wasn't good at that either. Unlike a ton of her friends her Mom didn't make her go to church every week, so she had no practice or anything like that.<p>

Finally she decided to talk to Maggie instead, if she was up there somewhere. She spoke in a whisper, "I'm sorry, and Maggie, can you make my Mom okay, or, or please watch over her, okay, please. I- I don't wanna lose Mom too. Please. Please."

She squeezed her eyes even more closed until she could see stars the colors of the rainbow, and lay down on the ground her ears still plugged and tried to think of all the awesome times she remembered with Maggie.

* * *

><p>Marissa stopped Frankie outside the door of her son's room. "He feels guilty and he's in pain, is there- can you?"<p>

Frankie shook her head as she cut Marissa off, "If I had any other choice Marissa, I wouldn't be here. But, AJ may know something and-" she paused, "I don't have to tell you that we need to find them, and fast."

Marissa stared at Frankie for another long moment, then nodded and let Frankie into the room. Marissa took up a spot next to AJ's bed, while Frankie stayed at the bottom of it. "Hey AJ. You got a haircut, huh?"

AJ raised his hand to his new bald head, "Mom won't let me have a mohawk when it grows back."

Frankie tilted her head to one side, "Mmm... nah, a mohawk'd look funny on you. but, you've got a good head for a shaved head. Quarter inch, half inch of hair sorta hairdo."

AJ didn't look convinced, but he moved on, "Are you gonna find Miranda and Bianca?"

"Triple M and her Mom, I'm trying. Think you can help me?"

AJ pushed himself up a bit with a wince, "I can tell you what he looks like."

"Actually, we know what he looks like, but, did you notice what he was wearing?"

AJ pursed his lips, but didn't get to say anything as Reese appeared in the room. "Oh, I didn't..."

"Momma- AJ..." Gabby wriggled until Reese let her down, then the youngest Kane woman managed to climb onto her brother's bed without help from anyone. "I wanna stay. Pwease?"

Marissa nodded as she ran a hand over Gabby's hair. "Of course kiddo." She looked up at Reese, "I-" She closed her eyes, "If, could you maybe come back tomorrow and- and stay her so that I..."

Reese nodded and cut Marissa off, "Of course. I was going to head back to the Yact Club, to my room, but, if you need." Marissa nodded, "Okay. Marissa, I.." she looked over at AJ and Gabby, "I know that you don't know me other than from..."

Marissa shook her head, "You love Gabby. Thank you."

"Should I bring coffee?"

AJ spoke up, "Donuts, donuts."

Both Reese and Marissa smiled just a bit. "Uh,"

Marissa rolled her eyes, "Sure, if it's not too much for her, Reese can bring donuts." That got a double yay from the room. Marissa took a long breath, "Thank you."

Reese gave a halfhearted smile back, "I haven't done anything yet."

* * *

><p>Bianca's hand went towards the light switch, then changed her mind and rearranged her clothes a bit and ran a hand through her hair. She took a deep breath, then another and another, trying to push the stampeding fear back down to where it couldn't change how her voiced changed, or where it couldn't get out until she and Miranda were safe.<p>

"Hey kiddo," Bianca carefully took Miranda's fingers away from her ears. "Hey..."

Miranda looked up, "Mom, it's dark."

"It's time for bed. Alright?"

Miranda frowned, "You have an egg Mom..."

Bianca's hand went to her cheek bone, "Don't worry 'bout it Mir. Just go back to sleep."

Miranda yawned, "You're staying?"

Bianca's gaze strayed to the door, "I-" She wrapped her daughter up in her arms. "I'm right here baby. I'm right here."

* * *

><p>Reese had finally gotten to sleep, though it was a light one. It had seemed like it had taken half the night. She'd even caught the late, late poker show that no one actually watched. It had been boring as hell, but apparently not boring enough to put her to sleep.<p>

There was no knock, or warning of almost any kind. She'd always thought that there'd be a warning. She wasn't of the persuasion of person that wanted to go out with a bang, but in her sleep, when she was gray and wrinkled.

She woke up as the cold blade touched her throat and there was a laugh that chilled her even more, and then, nothing.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: I apologize profusely. I blame NaNoWriMo (though I did get most of another fanfic story out of the Month of November). But, before I post that, I'm gonna try my best to finish this one. I do have it all outlined out, so, hopefully it won't be too long a wait between chapters (if anyone's still reading this) now. Again, sorry, sorry, sorry. The wet noodles will be waiting at the door after you've finished this chapter... ;)

Also, it's ah, again, not going to get any lighter for the moment.

* * *

><p>Frankie blinked awake. It was nearly two p.m. She'd slept all all the way through the morning. She rolled onto her back and glanced at the other side of the bed. Lena. Lena had been more than willing to stay the night. Hell, a part of Frankie had wanted nothing more than to let Lena stay, but that had been what had gotten them all in the situation that they were in in the first place. She had to be focused only on finding Bianca and her daughter.<p>

Frankie grabbed her phone. She had messages galore and a couple of texts as well. She looked at the most recent one and winced. It was from Anna and was short and to the point. It had the address of the PV Yacht Club, followed by 'NOW!'

She pulled on her pants, shirt and gathered her gun, coat, phone and keys and glanced down at the phone again. "Huh, it's Christmas Eve."

With a shake of her head she exited her room and got into her car. She drove to the Yacht Club and got as far as the hallway that the murder victim's room was off of before Jesse stopped her. "Nope."

Frankie didn't move, "I'm not some PI, and you know that you'd let your little friend Tad in there."

Jesse stared at Frankie for a long moment, then finally nodded. "Follow me."

Frankie did. They ducked under the police tape and Frankie frowned as she saw the scene in the room. "Reese Williams right? Bianca's ex wife, and..." She shook her head, "It's the same as Maggie's murder. Damnit."

"Exactly?"

Frankie nodded, "Exactly, from the-" Frankie looked at the neck and slowly her eyes traveled down the naked body. "Well, not entirely exactly the same," she leaned down next to the body and tilted her head to the side, "That is a hair. You guys have some sort of CSI, CSU, Criminalists around here? 'Cause, that's not a blonde hair."

"So we can prosecute Mike if..."

Frankie turned to face her boss, "If we can find him. I'm working on that."

Jesse crossed his arms over his chest, "No you're not, you're standing still."

Frankie closed her eyes, her fists clenched and unclenched by her sides. Jesse gave Frankie a worried look and Anna grasped her former step-cousin's chin, "Stop it. Stop it now Stone."

Frankie pulled her face and hands away and backed out of the room. Jesse watched her go, "Should we-"

"No, you've done quite enough Chief. She needs a time out. She'll be back, or she won't. So, abandoned houses? Other places away from civilization?"

"Pine Valley has a few."

Anna nodded, "That's where we start. You have enough guys for a canvas?"

* * *

><p>Brot stood at the Montgomery, Trasker front door. He'd checked with Angie and AJ had been sent home. He took a breath and knocked on the door.<p>

No one answered right away and he glanced down at himself. He realized that he still had on his uniform. That wasn't good, but, it was too late. Marissa opened the door and she gasped, her hand going to her mouth. Brot took a step forward, his hand up, "No, no- I mean, it's not good news, but it's not Miranda or Bianca. We haven't found them yet."

"It's not."

Brot nodded, "I promise. It's-" Brot paused, "Reese Williams was found dead this morning."

Marissa stepped outside and pulled the door closed behind her. "Are you sure?" Brot nodded, "I- I have to tell Gabby, oh God, how do I tell Gabby?"

Brot put an arm around Marissa's shoulder, "I'll be right there too, alright? We'll do it together."

* * *

><p>Miranda blinked, her Mom was gone again. She stuck her fingers in her ears as she thought she might have heard something.<p>

She breathed in through her nose, once, twice, they came out in a staccato way and she swallowed down her tears. Trying to stay quiet and strong just like her Mom would.

* * *

><p>Frankie rubbed at the scar on her forehead. She could feel Krystal watching her from the other end of the bar in her restaurant, but Frankie didn't care. all her focus was on the glass in front of her.<p>

She felt a presence next to her, but didn't move. "Krystal knows way too much about what goes on in this town."

"You're an alcoholic."

Frankie chuckled, "Nah."

Lena sat on the stool next to Frankie, "So, you're staring at a glass of Scotch, why then?"

"I never had a problem with booze. But, once you're off everything else, you're supposed to stay off the beer, spirits, all the other legal drugs too."

"Everything else?"

"NA, it'll be five years next year."

"So, I ask again, why the Scotch?"

Frankie finally turned to Lena, "Because if I go out and buy what I want to buy, any of it. I'll used it. This, I probably won't down this." Lena stayed silent and eventually Frankie pushed the glass away and spoke again, "I should have known that he'd kill again." Frankie turned back towards the counter.

Lena studied Frankie, "How, Agent Devane's your boss, so if you were supposed to know, than she should have as well, correct?"

The two women sat there. Surprisingly it was Frankie who broke the silence, "I saw her, Bianca, happy, with my sister. I was twenty one. David had finally been sure that I wouldn't croak after bringing me back. I came to PV. Saw that. Went off the deep end. David, he finally caught up to me four years later."

Lena put a hand on top of Frankie's, "You don't have to-"

"Please, let me finish." Lena nodded, but didn't let go of the shorter woman's hand, "He got me into rehab and he got me in touch with Devane. I got a life, a purpose, and enough things to do that I could forget a little bit more every day."

"Is that what I am?"

Frankie shook her head, "I don't know." She looked over at Lena, "Probably the wrong answer, but, the truth." She took her hand away, "I should go to Marissa's. And arrange someone for you, you need protection too."

"Then I will come with you."

"Lena."

Lena stood and took Frankie with her. "Let someone stand with you for a change. Let someone care about you. I know how dangerous Michael is. I do not go into this unawares."

They started towards the door, but as they got to it Frankie stopped, "Lena- would he-" Frankie paused, "I know he would-" Her jaw worked, "Probably has hurt Bianca already, but, would he hurt Triple M... Miranda? Would he touch her?"

Lena shook her head, "I- ah- I don't know. Most likely not, but, I think he has is very far gone from even the man I knew. He could do anything."

Frankie sighed, "I was afraid of that."


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Still not light. A little more. Had to finish of this unending day (next chapter should be the next day, finally... :))

* * *

><p>Miranda took her fingers from her ears for just a second and really wished she hadn't. She quickly put them back in, but it was too late. She had heard a scream, and she was pretty sure that it had been her Mom's. She tried to stay silent and choke down a sob, but was only partially successful, and she was fully panicked."<p>

She had no idea how long it was before the door opened, at least a three or four times she repeated The Christmas Can-Can in her head before she heard the door open. She took her fingers from her ears and turned, thinking it was her mother. It wasn't. It was the man from the church. Michael Cambias.

He stood perfectly still for a second, then walked to Miranda and put a hand on her head. Without thinking Miranda scrambled backwards on all fours until she hit the back wall. "Hey, I'm your Dad, you don't have to be scared of me."

Miranda had no words, all she could do was shake her head again and again. The one thing that was running through her head was that she wanted to see her Mom, right then, and that see that her Mom was alive. But, none of that came out of her mouth.

Michael took another step towards her and Miranda tried to go farther back, through the wall, but she couldn't. "Your Mom, your uncle, everyone in your family, they kept us apart, but it's okay, because I'm going to take care of you. We're going to be family."

That snapped Miranda out of it a bit, "NO. You're not my Dad, you're not, you're not."

Michael got down on one knee, "I understand, they didn't tell you, that's..."

Miranda cut him off, "No. I saw your picture. Mom-" She cleared her throat, her breathing still ragged, "Mom told me that you hurt her, and then I was born. I know you're my- father, you're not my Dad, I have no Dad. But Uncle Jack, and Nanna Krystal and, Nanna Erica, and, and Uncle Jesse, and, Reese, and Uncle Tad, and, and even AJ, they're all gonna kick your butt and, and save Mom and me, and..."

Michael had a condescending smile on his face. "Honey, I know you're scared."

Miranda swallowed and sat up as straight as she could. "I'm Miranda Mona Montgomery. I'm not scared. Not scared of you, you poopy headed je-jerkface toad."

Michael stared at the young girl for a long while, the muscles in his face moving. It was almost as if Miranda could see the debate going in his mind over whether he should hurt Miranda, or leave her alone. He left the room, but only for a second, and dragged back in a very unconscious, bruised, bleeding and beaten Bianca Montgomery with him. Then left and slammed the door behind himself.

Miranda practically threw herself at her Mom, and tried to wake her up. Shaking her and talking to her, not caring if Michael heard her or not. "Please, please, please Mom. Please wake up."

Finally she put her head to her Mom's chest, she'd never listened when the gym teacher was teaching them how to take pulses, in the neck or the wrist, she hadn't thought that she'd ever need to know any of that. She always had her phone, she could just call 9-1-1. But, she knew that she should be able to feel her Mom's heart beating in the chest. She found it after a moment and it seemed to sound like it was supposed to she thought. Regular bump, bump, bumps, over and over.

She carefully pulled her Mom halfway into her arms, keeping her head against Bianca's chest and closed her eyes. She whispered, "I love you Mom."

* * *

><p>Lena and Frankie found Marissa sitting on the sofa, staring down at her hands. When they walked in, Marissa looked up and they could see that she had tears in her eyes. "I- I found. I found something."<p>

Frankie was on alert, "From Cambias?"

Marissa shook her head as Lena sat down next to her and slowly pried her hands open. "I, do you think I should put the ring back."

Frankie frowned, "You got it for her? We haven't given up looking Marissa."

Marissa shook her head, but couldn't find the words. Lena interjected, "Did you find it in Bianca's things?"

Marissa nodded, "I was looking for something in her underwear drawer and... and I found it, just, there. I... It's exactly what I've always dreamed my engagement ring would look like. It's, it's perfect."

Frankie sat down on the couch on the other side of Marissa and put an arm around her shoulders. "We will find them."

Frankie started to say something else, but Marissa interrupted her, "Why are you here?"

"Because Reese was killed."

Marissa put two and two together in her head and frowned, "You think that he will come after me?"

"You, Lena, perhaps Gabby or AJ too. I don't know. He's angry. And unpredictable."

Lena stood, "I'll make some hot cocoa." And was gone. Marissa looked over at Frankie, "You like her."

Frankie stood, "I don't know her, and we're talking about you, and how you should have police protection."

"Or you..."

"Marissa, I need to..."

Marissa interrupted Frankie, "She talks about you, you know. Not a whole lot, but enough. Of course, she thought you were dead. My father?"

Frankie nodded and turned towards the door. "You really want me to stay?" Marissa nodded. "Then you'd better get some sleep. I'll be down here. You have locks on your windows? And Gabby and AJ's windows?"

Marissa nodded again, "Of course."

"Make sure they're all secure and I'll be down here. Do you have a back door? Basement door?"

Marissa nodded, "Yes, to both."

"Good. I'll take care of them. Hug your kids, sleep. Tomorrow, I'll find Bianca and Triple M."

Frankie jumped as Marissa wrapped her in a hug. After a moment she returned the hug and didn't move as Marissa climbed the stairs to her children.

Once Marissa was out of sight Lena came back into the room, two mugs in her hands. "We're staying." Frankie sighed, "I brought coffee."

Frankie took one of the mugs from Lena and took a sip, "I thought that you were making hot chocolate?"

"From the way that your conversation with Marissa was going I thought that something with a higher amount of caffeine than chocolate provides would be a good idea."

"Thank you, I need to check..."

Lena interrupted Frankie, "I checked the locks on the back door. They're..." she paused, "secure."

Frankie nodded, not hearing the smile in Lena's voice. All business. "Would you check this floor's windows?"

"Of course. You'll check the basement?"

Frankie took another gulp of her coffee and put it down. "Right now." She left Lena alone and the tall woman walked from window to window on the main floor, making sure they were all locked.

It wasn't too long before Frankie came back upstairs. She paced silently in front of the front door while Lena sat on the couch and stayed silent.

"Do you know anywhere that he has, anything he owns in PV that's out of the way?"

Lena shook her head, "I don't. Is the pacing helping?"

Before Frankie could shoot back her response the door made a snick noise and Frankie drew her gun. Lena had never seen Erica Kane jumped quite that high as the door opened and the Kane woman found herself looking down the barrel of a gun.

"Maggie- what in the world? How, you're..."

Frankie blew out a breath and after a glance behind Erica, holstered her gun. "Not Maggie. Maggie's dead. Come in Ms. Kane."

Erica bristled as she entered, "Of course I will enter, this is Bian- Lena?" Her gaze went from Frankie to Lena and to the stairs. "Tell me what's going on, right now."

Lena saw that if Frankie spoke it wouldn't be productive, or pretty for Erica and stood. Taking the woman's focus onto her. "Come in Erica, sit, and I'll explain everything while Frankie gets us all some more coffee."

Erica's eyes went to Frankie with a frown, "Frankie?"


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: Still not light, but ya can almost see the end of the tunnel. I compromised a little on this part too. I thought I was going to write the explanation from Binx to Miranda, but I just couldn't do it.

* * *

><p>"Well, that was a delightful way to spend a sleepless night."<p>

Anna sat down next to her underling and caught Krystal's eye. The restaurant owner nodded and went into the back. "I thought that you were over at Marissa and Bianca's."

"Erica came home."

Understanding dawned on Anna's face, "Ah, right. Is Jackson home as well?"

"Yes. Though, he's still not talking to her, but they're both worried about Bianca and Miranda." Frankie glanced towards the door, "I have no doubt he'll be through that door soon to harass us about where they are too."

Anna shook her head as she looked at Frankie, "You really don't like this town, do you?"

Frankie threw a look Anna's way, "And you do?"

Anna shrugged, "Sure, there are good things about it. There always have been."

Frankie made a face as Krystal brought two plates piled high with things that people probably should never eat, but tasted really, really good. "I can't think of one thing."

Krystal piped up, "Oh, not even Lena." Frankie shot the woman a look and Krystal raised her hands in surrender. "Moving onto other, less grumpy in the morning customers..."

They both dug in, silent for a while. It was Anna who eventually broke the silence. "Your plan?"

Frankie shook her head, "I don't have one yet. Unfortunately. I can feel the clock ticking though. There's only so long he can... and then he'll get rid of one, or both of them."

Anna pulled Frankie's plate towards her. "Then you'd better get going."

Frankie pursed her lips, "Oh, and what will you be doing?"

Anna spoke with her mouth full of the end of Frankie's breakfast, "Cwlling in r-inforcements."

Frankie just shook her head as she stood.

* * *

><p>Brot raised his head as Jesse came into the squad room. "Boss."<p>

"We've found them?"

Brot stood with a shake of his head. "No. Not yet." He took a breath in, "I just don't know where else he... anyway. We're not stopping."

Jesse patted him on the back, "I didn't think you would Brot." Jesse looked towards the stairs, "Agent Stone. Here to make more proclamations or demands of my officers?"

Frankie didn't rise to the bait, which surprised even her, "No. I'm here to help with the canvas."

"Me too."

Frankie didn't even have to turn to know who had spoken, "No Miss Kane."

Once Erica got to the bottom of the stairs she physically turned Frankie so that they were eye to eye. "Yes Miss Stone. If you're going out, I am as well."

Frankie shook her head and turned to Brot, "Where have you searched so far."

Brot opened his mouth, but didn't get a chance to speak as Erica kept at it. "You have, what experience. Being a criminal, being a vagabond, I hear that you were quite the drug user as well. Not to mention breaking my daughter's heart by... pretending to be dead. And she is MY daughter. I will find her, whether I'm with your little police presence or not."

Frankie blew out a breath and looked Erica up and down. For her she was dressed in practically nun garb. She had on black pants and a subdued dark top. Without any explanation Frankie grabbed a hair band off of someone's desk and went around to Erica's back, pulling her hair back into a pony tail. She circled back to the front and tilted her head to one side before she went to another desk and grabbed a pair of glasses off of it, putting them on Erica's face.

Finally she handed Erica a clipboard, "You want to go out. You come with me, you stick to me like glue and do whatever I tell you and nothing more, those are the terms, got it?"

"Frankie..."

Frankie cut her off, "No. It's my damn fault that your daughter got kidnapped, he's not gonna get you too. Upstairs, five minutes."

She left and Erica turned to Jesse. "What did she mean by that?"

It was Anna who answered. "Don't get any ideas Erica. She's been chasing Michael Cambias for years, we have, she feels as though she should have caught him sooner." She pinned Erica with a look, "That is all."

Erica's jaw worked, her eyes narrowed, but she finally nodded and climbed the stairs back to the outside.

Anna groaned. "If you find Erica strangled by the side of the road, I'm afraid that you'll have to bring Frankie in."

Jesse smiled just a bit, "Yes, well, if I had a penny for every time I've wanted to strangle Erica Kane, I'd be retired someplace warm with Angie."

* * *

><p>Miranda blinked awake. She was still in her Mom's arms, but, it didn't feel like they were at home. The floor was hard, and she wouldn't have gone to sleep on the floor, not to mention it was cold. "Mom... mom..."<p>

Bianca shushed her daughter, "It's okay, it's okay Miranda. We're okay..."

Miranda looked up at her mom and stuttered, "You were... you yelled, and the-then you wouldn't wake up, and..."

Bianca brushed back a lock of Miranda's hair. "Shhh, it's okay, I'm okay. Just a bump on the head. Now, I won't be able to play Hockey, or tackle football for a few weeks, but I'm okay."

Miranda let go of Bianca just a bit, and stretched out the kinks. "Did we sleep a lot?"

"We did kiddo. And that's a good thing, 'cause we need a plan to get out of here."

Miranda swallowed, trying to be as brave as her mom was being, "But, what if, what if he comes back. I told him that he wasn't my Dad, and that everyone would come and get him and rescue us."

Bianca smiled, "Then he won't be expecting what's coming, will he. You were doin' a plan even though you didn't realize it."

Miranda knew that her mom was, as Tad would say, blowing smoke at her, or something like that. "I'm scared."

"I am too Miranda."

"Why... Mom, why were you yelling?"

"I- I... Michael, he, he hurt me."

Miranda frowned so deeply that Bianca had to stop herself from trying to smooth out her daughter's forehead. "You have to tell me the truth Mom. Please. I'm a big girl."

Bianca closed her eyes for a long moment, then opened them. "Alright..."

* * *

><p>"I'm sorry for your loss Frankie."<p>

Frankie took a cleansing breath, "Thank you. But... it's unnecessary. I barely knew her."

Erica frowned, "She was your sister, twin sister."

Frankie and Erica climbed the stairs to the the next house on the street. It was an old one, a bit run down, but not any more than others on the street. Frankie went to ring the bell, but Erica put a hand on Frankie's arm. "Please, understand, I just want to see my child again, I've already lost Josh, I can't... I..."

Frankie turned to Erica, "I do understand. Now, are you gonna let me ring the doorbell?"

Erica dropped her hand, but Frankie wasn't done. "Oh yeah, you want to get Jack back, do this..."

She grabbed the back of Erica's head and smashed their lips together. There was no subtly in the kiss. Erica resisted for a second, then kissed back for a nano-second, then pulled back with a, "Mary Francis Stone."

Frankie smiled and let out a half hysterical laugh, then cleared her throat, "I'm sorry, I just... right, ringing the doorbell now."

She pushed the glowing button.


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: Not having a long chapter sort of day am I? I apologize.

* * *

><p>"Okay, so when he..."<p>

Miranda made a face at her Mom. "I know the plan Mom. I'm not dumb."

Bianca chuckled and hugged Miranda to her. "Not if you tried to be honey."

Miranda glanced towards the door, then back to her Mom, "Are you and Marissa going to have a baby? Get married like with Reese?"

"I don't know, to either question Miranda. I do... I was, am planning on asking her that second question myself."

Miranda perked up, "Really? She's totally going to say yes Mom."

"You think so?"

Miranda nodded, "Yes, yes. And then AJ'll really be my brother and not my... we're sorta related by marriage, right?"

Bianca cleared her throat, "Yes, let's talk about you and Adam Chandler the third. You need to be nicer to him young lady."

Miranda frowned, "But I am, I mean, I love him, and sorta give him grief and stuff, and he doesn't mind, but..."

Bianca gently cut her off, "Have you ever told him that?"

Miranda shrugged, "I guess."

"Next time you see him, tell him that."

Miranda nodded, "Okay. I guess. I do, I mean... I love Marissa too."

Bianca sniffed a few time, "And me, Gabby? Reese?"

Miranda smiled, "Well, duh! I love you guys too." Miranda got a twinkle in her eye, "Especially Reese."

Bianca gave her daughter a tickle and Miranda laughed, "Oh, especially Reese huh?"

They both fell silent as the door knob on the closet door started to move. Then they heard a doorbell. Michael swore and without talking about it, or even looking at one another the mother and daughter both screamed at the top of their lungs.

* * *

><p>Erica was astounded at how fast Frankie had her gun un-holstered and at her side after they both heard the screams. "That's..."<p>

"I know... them. Go across the street, call for backup."

"I need to-"

Frankie gave Erica a shove away, "Go damnit. I can either fight with you or save your daughter and granddaughter."

Erica paused for only a second, then was down the steps and dashing across the street. Frankie kicked down the door and swept the front entry way. She heard the screams again, followed by swearing in the back of the house and ran that way.

She barely paused as she blew through the bedroom door. Her gun went flying as she got knocked to the ground by Michael. They grappled on the floor, punching, grabbing, each trying to get the upper hand and neither succeeding. Michael was slowly getting the best of Frankie, but, he didn't have one thing that Frankie did.

They could both hear the screaming, and crying coming from the closet, but while Michael didn't care at all, it was just noise. It spurred her on with surprising, even to her, intensity, and she found herself on top of Michael and with a right hook across the nose he collapsed to the ground, unconscious.

Frankie sprang up and went to the closet. She opened the door and found herself getting punched in the face as well. She stumbled backwards, tripping over Michael, who, unfortunately had regained his senses and from his place on the floor stabbed Frankie, once, twice.

Frankie fell to the ground with a half a groan as Michael stood. He threw the knife to the side as Bianca with Miranda behind her, backed into the wall. "I don't need a knife to finish you off, then maybe I'll get to know my daughter..." He stared through Bianca, "She's quite like you, I could learn to..."

"SHUT UP."

Michael laughed, "Oh, is Uncle Jack coming through that door, or Krystal, or your Momma dearest, or any of the other useless assholes that your daughter threatened me with. Every person is your frickin' protector. But they don't know about you, you liked it, you liked me." He was nose to nose with Bianca, who was doing her best not to shake or even blink as Michael ranted. "You're a slut, oh, you think you're Mother Teresa, and you've somehow managed to convince all the Pine Valley guppies that you are, but we know differently don't we. DON'T we?"

Michael put his hand around Bianca's neck and then his jaw dropped open in a noiseless scream. Frankie pushed the knife in just a bit more and whispered in his ear, "Next time, learn some anatomy Cambias."

Frankie moved to the side, letting Michael fall to the ground, unfortunately a second later, she collapsed onto her side as well. Miranda managed to beat her Mom to Frankie's side and pushed her hand into one of the knife wounds. "Oh no, oh no..."

Frankie groaned, "Your... your mother, back up soon... just... you're okay, 's good. Tell Le-" She shook her head, "'sn't matter."

Bianca put her hand on the other knife wound and an arm around her daughter. "I can hear the sirens Frankie, they're coming. Stay with me. Talk. Talk. Lena. You and Lena? Really? Doesn't seem like a good idea."

Frankie coughed, blood coming up, "'s not. But..."

"Love does funny things, doesn't it."

"Mmmhmmm..."


	10. Chapter 10

Somehow Bianca had convinced the paramedics, the police officers, and even her mother, the usually unmovable Erica Kane, to let them walk into Pine Valley Hospital. They'd already been checked out by the paramedics and deemed healthy, although Bianca would soon be getting another exam, far from Miranda's eyes.

Bianca had a firm grip on her daughter's hand, and that was the only reason that the young girl didn't get totally bowled over when AJ rushed towards her and hugged her with all he had. At the same time Bianca got a hug around the knees from Gabby, who didn't let go, and Bianca picked her up with only a slight wince.

Marissa was there too and gave Bianca a tentative kiss on the lips. "Good to see that you're okay. I was... we were..."

AJ had Miranda's hand in his own and was dragging her towards the chairs in the family waiting room. Gabby wiggled and Bianca hugged her for a second before she put down her youngest and Gabby joined her sister and AJ in the chairs.

Without the children there Marissa hugged Bianca as close as she could for a long, long time. When they separated Bianca cleared her throat, "Could you, watch them, I need to..."

"No."

"Marissa, you don't have to..."

Marissa shook her head, "I do have to. I..." She closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them and brushed Bianca's hair back, "I found the ring, and... this is the worse, and I want to make it better for you. If all they let me do is stand there, I stand there, if I get to hold your hand, then I'll do that, but unless Cara kicks me out, I'm there."

Bianca swallowed back her tears and took a shuddering breath, "It was... I feel..."

Cara appeared, and frowned, "Bianca. It's going to be a minute, but someone is going to come get you for your exam, don't..."

"Go take a shower or something? To paraphrase my daughter. I'm not an idiot. Are you working on him or her?"

Cara paused her journey, and looked over her shoulder. "Her. At the moment." And was off again.

Bianca cleared her throat once, then again, and looked over at where AJ and Miranda were shoving each other just a bit. Marissa shook her head, "They're never going to do the boyfriend girlfriend thing like everyone thought they would."

Bianca shook her head, "No, they're not. She, she explained it by the way. I mean, she claims that AJ doesn't mind being bossed around."

Marissa still hadn't let go of Bianca, and now moved her arm to around Bianca's waist. "Bianca, are you... you're not freaking out."

"It'll come, but, this time, Miranda was there, so I couldn't... I had to..." Bianca closed her eyes and rested her head against Marissa's shoulder.

Marissa spoke after a moment, "If you need, I mean..."

Bianca looked up from Marissa's shoulder with a sad smile on her face, "You're my rock."

"And you're mine Bianca. I was serious. My answer is yes. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. No matter what happens. No matter what... comes of this..."

Bianca shook her head, "Not this time. I mean, I love Miranda, but after I... I... I'm on birth control. What happened, it was never..."

Marissa hugged Bianca closer, "You know, I just assumed that you were on it for..."

"Regulation? That's what I told my doctor."

Lena and Anna appeared at the Nurses station and Bianca blew out a breath, "Lena, Anna, Frankie back from the dead, or... she saved our lives. She, she killed Michael even after she'd been stabbed twice."

Marissa looked through the door into the trauma room where she knew the doctors were working on Frankie, "I think that she's quite the tough butch type for sure."

* * *

><p><em>"Wake up you laze about. You think that you get off this easy? I mean, you're all that's left in the world of me. So get the hell up."<em>

_Frankie blinked and looked around. She was in Krystal's, though it was empty save, well, her, sort of, "Maggie?"_

_"Of course, who else looks exactly like you, well, better than you?"_

_Frankie shook her head and slowly stood, "I don't, I don't believe in near death experiences."_

_Maggie, or whatever she was, laughed, "Oh yes, I forgot. You think that I'm, what?"_

_"You're my brain dying. You're random firings of neurons. It makes sense. It's why so many people have the same exact experience, though slightly different because they have different memories, but the same biological processes. My brain needs oxygen. That's all."_

_Maggie shook her head, "You did always like picking a fight with me. Everyone who met us always said they'd never seen two twins who so nearly hated each other. Why do you think that is?"_

_Frankie frowned, "So, is this a, you're nearly dead, get ready for the after life. Or is this a, go back and make sure Cambias is really dead."_

_Maggie gave Frankie a shove, "You idiot. It's a, go back and for the love of God, smile some. Kiss that... polish fox. Why on Earth you'd chose her. Of anyone, her... she broke Bianca's heart into little pieces you know."_

_Frankie bantered back, "So did you little sister."_

_Maggie rolled her eyes, "Go back. Save the world. Have some little Stone Kundera babies. Perhaps you could punch our Cousin for keeping the fact that you were alive from me too."_

_Frankie studied her twin for a moment, then chuckled, "Do I get to tell him that you told me to do it?"_

_Maggie gave a half a bow, "Now you're gettin' into this. Still don't believe in near death?"_

_Frankie looked around, "Pretty sure I'd pick a better place than this- Ahhh... damn that hurt." She put a hand to her chest. "Must be shocking me."_

When she got no answer she looked around, Maggie was nowhere to be seen. She felt like she'd gotten punched in the chest again and then there was brightness, lights shining right in her eyes, and so many voices. So many overly loud, grating voices.

She tried to scream, "Shut up."

It only came out as a whisper, but, Cara heard her anyway. "Stop. Everyone stop." Their eyes went to the monitors, where there were steady readings across the board. There was a collective breath let out in the room.

* * *

><p>Kendall rushed into the waiting room and engulfed a freshly examined and scrubbed Bianca Montgomery in a hug that was as tight as she could make it. Zach came in a bit slower, gave a nod to Lena and a hug to Marissa. Eventually Kendall let go and Zach gave Bianca a hug as well. "Bianca. I... Apparently I'm still my brother's next of kin. I'm so sorry."<p>

Bianca put a hand on Zach's chest, "Never be sorry. He was never your responsibility. Ever. He did what he did. We will all move on... eventually."

"Uncle Zach..." And he was pulled by Miranda and Gabby towards where the kids had set up.

Kendall looked to Marissa, "Now, is she okay, really?"

Marissa smiled and nodded, "For now."

Kendall pointed at Marissa, "Now, you do whatever it takes to be there for her, no matter what crap she pulls. That one over there didn't know what to do, but..."

"Kendall, I'm not going anywhere. And Lena... she and Frankie... and we still don't know. So, go easy on her."

Kendall threw a look over at Lena, but the Polish woman was in her own world. "Okay, okay. I never liked Frankie, now... I may have to re-evaluate that opinion."

Cara came into the room and all eyes, even the kids', were on her. "Okay. We couldn't save Michael, he died on the table. But..." Both Lena and Bianca let out the breath they'd been holding as Cara continued, "...Frankie is holding on. She's in and out of consciousness. Lost a lot of blood." Cara's eyes flicked towards Bianca and then Miranda, "But, you two probably saved her life. She is asking for you Lena. Or was when she was awake. If you'd like to go in?" Lena nodded and was gone from the room in a flash. Cara wasn't done though, "Ah... since she is... you two." Cara trailed off, then finally met Bianca's eyes, "We have your blood and will be doing a full panel on it, including everything... But, we need to take a bit of Miranda's blood now, and then..." Cara stopped and started again, "We've been told by Lena that she has a history of drug use, of all sorts, and since we haven't got her records yet. Just to be safe."

Bianca sighed, "Now, and in six months." She held out a hand, "Do you want me to come with you Miranda?"

"No... just AJ, okay?"

Bianca looked to Cara, "Is that okay?"

"Perfectly fine." She cracked a bit of a grin, "You're just looking to get a lollipop aren't you Mr. Chandler."

AJ laughed a little behind one hand as he took Miranda's in his other.

Cara and the two kids walked behind Cara and Bianca shook her head, "How could I get Miranda into all this. AIDS, Hepatitis C... or..."

Marissa put two fingers over Bianca's lips, "Wait until the tests come back. Okay? Until then, the focus on the important things. Like the incoming child."

Gabby stopped in front of Marissa, Kendall and most importantly Bianca and held her hands up to her Mom. "Up Mommy. Please?"

* * *

><p>Lena kissed Frankie's forehead and sat down next to the bed. "If you die on us Mary Francis, then Bianca will always blame herself. You can't let that happen. And, you'll never know what happens with us. I finally found someone real. You don't get to take that away from me Frankie."<p>

She took Frankie's hand in her own. "Me falling for Maggie's face. My mother would be laughing her derriere off at me right this moment. The amount that I complained about Maggie Stone could have filled the time for a movie. Even one like Australia or Benjamin Button. But you..."

"Stop..." Frankie coughed, "Talking..."

Lena blinked down at Frankie's opened eyes. "You're awake."

"Unfortunately." Lena started to take her hand away, "The pain, you sensitive femme-y crazy person."

"Oh, I'm femme-y now. You, you're quite the psychotic short stature-d butch you know. You, you were stabbed, twice, and you decided that killing Michael was the right thing to do while bleeding?"

Frankie shook her head just a bit, "Had to... was gonna kill Bianca, take Triple M. My responsibility, my fault, couldn't..."

"Shhh... I get it. Next time, wait for back up, or, or something."

A male cleared his throat in the doorway and both women looked up. "David."

David nodded and held up his handcuffed hands. "I just... they're taking me back to jail, but, I wanted to say good-bye, and... Thank you."

"For cleaning up your mess?"

Lena wasn't sure what David would say to that. He wasn't known for saying politically correct things, but he surprised Lena. "I know. So, thank you for- taking care- of Michael Cambias, and for saving Bianca and Miranda. My daughter... Marissa would have been devastated, and I... it would have been hard for the entire town."

"Yeah, well, next time, damnit, just don't do it Hayward."

David nodded, "Noted." Jesse's hand fell on David's shoulder and David rolled his eyes, "I'm out soon. We'll talk."

Frankie groaned as he left, "They're all going to do that, aren't they."

Lena stifled her chuckle, "Probably."

"Then, you have to get me out of here..."

"No. You're still hurt."

Frankie thought for a moment, "Then a compromise, the chapel. I just... I can't be in this room."

Lena paused for a moment, "I'm coming with me."

"If you must. Fine."

* * *

><p>"Am I interrupting your escape?"<p>

Frankie scrunched up her face, "Of course. I finally manage to get rid of Lena for half a second, and the saint of Pine Valley arrives."

Bianca sat down next to Frankie, "You should be in your room. You have two knife wounds."

"Knife wounds, snife wounds." She paused, "I'm sorry that you and Miranda had to get tested."

Bianca accepted it, "Thank you. They didn't know if you would wake up, or when. So, what's the answer."

"I'm clean. They tested me in rehab. None of the diseases I could have gotten from the needles I used. Guess that means I'm down to six. Five if you count each hole in my body as a seperate event."

"Five, what, lives?"

"Shot in the head, drug user, stabbed by crazy Michael Cambias. Soon I'll run out of them."

Bianca shook her head, "Four actually. Unless you really did throw yourself in front of my mother's car."

Frankie laughed for a short bit, but it turned into a cough. Bianca put a hand around Frankie's shoulders. "You should..."

"No, I shouldn't. I'm fine, and your mother hit me fair and square." She turned her head and met Bianca's gaze, "And even though I've been through hell ever since that day. I think... I think I'm glad that it happened."

Bianca smiled, "I know I am. The journey right?"

Frankie made a noise in the back of her throat, "Crap no, the journey sucks. But, I'm glad that you're happy with Marissa, your kids. Any time you need, anything. Or she needs anything, or... whatever. Get David, he'll know where I am, and I'll come, whatever it is."

Bianca was silent for a moment, "Are you my guardian angel?"

Frankie rolled her eyes, "Guardian devil, how 'bout that?"

"Thank you."

Frankie shook her head, "I should have gotten him earlier. So much earlier."

"You got him in time. I'm safe, Miranda's safe..."

"But... Reese, and... you're not..."

Bianca cut Frankie off, "No. That was all on him. Not you. You get to take on whatever you've done in your life, but don't take on that scum's stuff to. So. Thank you. Do you know what to say to that?"

Frankie rolled her eyes some more, "Your welcome Bianca Montgomery."

* * *

><p>"This time, we're doing it here, in town. You two can, sign whatever papers you need to sign or, whatever, but we're doing it here. And I can call..."<p>

"Erica..."

"Mom. She hasn't even put on the ring yet."

Erica looked to her daughter, "Yes, why haven't you given it to her yet?"

Bianca started laughing, and just couldn't manage to stop for quite a while. Finally she did calm down and shook her head, "Mom, I love you, but first I was kidnapped, then I've been here. We'll get to that. Maybe I'll even get down on one knee."

Marissa smiled, "That would be incredibly romantic. Do I get an amazing meal as well?"

"Grilled Cheese and Tomatoes?"

She laughed, "That'll work."

Erica looked between her daughter and Marissa and groaned, "This wedding will be an uphill battle, won't it."

Krystal seemingly came from out of nowhere. "If I have anything to say about it, it sure will."

Erica's groan almost turned into a bad word.


	11. Epilogue

**Epilogue - The Next Day**

* * *

><p>"AMA?"<p>

Cara nodded, "Against..."

Lena put a hand up, "I know what it means, I just... I thought that we'd... I guess I was an idiot."

Bianca stepped next to Lena at the nurse's station, "Were you going to meet somewhere?"

Lena turned and leaned against the station, "No, we weren't."

Bianca was silent for a moment, not quite sure what to say, but she had found Lena for a reason and so pushed forward with her reason for being there, "Do you... do you think we could be friends Lena?"

Lena gave a half a chuckle, "Most likely not."

Bianca took one of Lena's hands in her own and let go. Lena frowned and looked down. "The rings. Bianca..."

"Frankie, don't let her leave Lena."

Lena shook her head, "I have only known her for..."

Bianca cut her off, "Do you love her?"

"_Z całego serca_."

Bianca raised an eyebrow, "How about French or English?" A small smile came to Bianca's lips, "Although I think I got the jist of it."

Lena smiled back, "_Avec tout mon coeur._"

"So, if you love her so much, then tell her that. Life, life is too short to quibble about how long you've known someone, how old they are, or even if they were straight or gay."

Lena raised an eyebrow, "Speaking from personal experience now?" Bianca shrugged and Lena tried to hand back the rings. "But, these are yours."

Bianca pushed Lena's hand back, "They never were, sometimes, when Miranda and Gabby are going at it, or it's just been a really bad day, every once in a while I wonder what it would have been like if we had worked, but, Lena, we were done before we began."

"Bianca-"

Bianca held a hand up, "Every moment I spent with you, the good ones, they'll be with me forever, but these rings, they were a last gasp of a dying relationship. Tell Frankie how you feel." Bianca smiled, "It worked for me. I told Marissa and then she found me just so irresistible she couldn't keep her hands off of me."

There was a laugh that came from around the corner. "How long have you known I was there Bianca Montgomery?"

Bianca bit her lip with a smile, "Long enough." She gave Lena push, "Go, go..."

"I don't have a..."

Bianca finished her sentence, "A car... hmmm... ooh, Ryan parks his bike behind the hosptial for the winter usually. He should drain the tank of course, but I think it still has enough gas in it."

"I don't..."

Bianca pushed Lena towards the set of swinging doors. "Go, or you'll regret it for the rest of your life."

Lena paused in the doorway with a frown, "First... first there's something I have to do."

Marissa put her arm around Bianca as the waiting room door swung closed, "Are you sure that was a good idea?"

Bianca shrugged, "Probably not. But," she looked over at Marissa, "everyone should get the chance to be as happy as we are."

Marissa rolled her eyes, "Ah Bianca, my romantic." She paused, "So..."

"So..."

"AJ wants a brother."

Bianca pursed her lips, "Well, I'm done with getting pregnant. Finito for sure."

Marissa kissed the tip of Bianca's nose, "Well, it's a damn good thing then that you're gay huh?" She smiled, but it was a serious smile, "I've... I think... If I can, I mean. Four kids, wow... but..."

"The father?"

Marissa shook her head, "I don't... I don't know. Uh,..."

Bianca cut Marissa off, "You're about to say, not Zach."

"Now you're just showing off, Ms. Psychic Montgomery. But, who then?"

"How about Brot?"

Marissa blinked, "Ah... wow, okay, left field, meet Bianca. But, not yet, I mean, we should talk about it more, and you need to..."

"Melt down a bit first?" Bianca gave Marissa a gentle shove, then leaned into her. "All good suggestions. Of course, you're assuming that you have one, not twins."

Marissa frowned, "And why..."

"Let's see. The Stone twins, you and Babe..."

"Oh... I guess we'll have to start thinking of names in batches of two then huh."

Bianca laughed.

* * *

><p>Frankie leaned against the guard rail and shook her head. So much had gone on since that night she'd been hit by Erica Kane. A few good things, mostly bad things. She'd found Anna, who, despite her failings could be a good boss. She had a job, she had a roof over her head most nights, and when she didn't there wasn't it was because of her job. She even felt, for the first time in her life like she had purpose.<p>

Her head came up and her eyes looked towards Pine Valley, then towards the rest of Pennsylvania. "It's the damn town. Pine frickin' black hole Valley."

A bike pulled up next to her rental car, but she didn't look up and mumbled again, "Damn town."

A throat cleared to Frankie's right and after a long moment she finally looked over. "Lena. Look, I..."

Lena put a hand up and without a word, handed Frankie a piece of folded paper. "What is it?"

"Open it."

Frankie did, "This is a resignation letter to... to Chandler. Lena, you can't give this to the Chandler Board."

Lena shook her head, "Too late, I emailed it to them all before I got on the bike at Bianca's."

Frankie frowned, "Wait, what? How did you write it that-"

Lena interrupted Frankie with a slight chuckle, "Francis, you and I, we live in such different worlds don't we." Lena grasped Frankie's hands in her own, the letter fluttering to the ground. "It took longer to find a proper printer than to distribute it. I love you."

Frankie was still frowning. "Lena, I don't under-"

Lena looked back over her shoulder, "It's this town. I can see it in your eyes, it turns you, it does nothing good for you. I want to be with you. The Board wanted me in Pine Valley if I was the CEO, so..."

"You resigned. Lena, we don't even..."

Lena cut off Frankie yet again, "Everyone else has always come first. Michael, Bianca, my-my mother. No longer. No, I will show you that I love you, that you are worthy of love every single day, just..." Lena looked around, "Not here."

"I can't, I'm not..."

Lena put her arms around Frankie for a moment, then took a step back with her FBI badge. "You're not really an FBI agent, you're an agent of something, something good I think. I figured that one out by myself. Yes, sure you can say that you can't love me because you're... dead, or hurt, or whatever else you can come up with. Then I'll show you every day not only that I love you, but that you can trust me enough to love me."

"I'm not Ma..."

"No, you're not. You would never let a man kick you around, you'd never waffle back and forth over whether or not you loved your best friend, and you, you'd give your life for someone you don't know just as quickly as for your friends or family."

Frankie turned around and looked out past the guard rail, "You think you know me so well. Maybe, perhaps, maybe I don't even like you, and definitely don't love you?"

Lena didn't move, "Then you'd have told me before this moment."

Frankie turned, "I'll give you this, you seem to know me better than I know myself."

Lena smiled at that, "Then you have to trust me. Come back with me, just for tonight. Then, we go anywhere we want. You want."

Frankie put a tentative hand on Lena's arm, and found herself pulled into the taller woman. "I... I'm pretty sure that I'd rather be, being tortured in some dank cell somewhere than be right here, right now. I'd... I'd know what the hell to do."

"Either kiss me, or walk away."

Frankie reached up, and chose the kiss.

* * *

><p>Fin ~ December 13th, 2011<p> 


End file.
